gordon



Oct. 29, 1929. w, GORDON 1,733,257

ORNAMENT MOUNTING OriginalFiled Oct. 21, 1926 Qnpzmtoi I Laazlr 11 Gordon 851 41;? QHQWW l atented Oct. 29, 1929 warren STATES nours w. GORDON, on NEW YORK, n. Y.

ORNAMENT MOUNTING Application filed October 21, 1926, Serial No. 143,211.

This invention relates to devices for detachably mounting ornaments such as buckles and the like to be worn on shoes, belts and other articles of wearing apparel. More particularly the invention refers to devices for detachably mounting ornaments provided with a cross bar-or other fastening means projecting from the surface of the ornament and laterally extending from its support or supports to form a retaining member substantially parallel to the surface of the ornament itself.

It is frequently desirable to change the style of buckles or other fancy ornaments worn on pumps or slippers as well as on belts and on other articles of apparel worn at the same time in order to match or complete a costume worn at any particular time. It is also desirable at times to wear pumps or slippers without any ornament whatsoever, especially when rubbers or overshoes are to be worn because a buckle would interfere with the use thereof. Buckles and like ornaments are usually provided with a cross bar at the rear which is spaced from the surface of the buckle a distance suflicient for the insertion of a sirap or other similar holding means.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved fastening device whereby the ornament may be detachably mounted on a suitable support by means of its cross bar or other similar attaching member and a locking member therefor cooperating with the said support.

Another object of this invention is to provide an arrangement for detachably mounting a buckle or like ornament on a suitable support permitting the easy insertion and removal of the ornament in position and insuring a positive locking action in a comparatively simple manner.

A further object is to provide a fastening device of a novel and improved design adapted to connect and retain a buckle or like ornament onto a suitable holder, which is easy to operate and efiicient in its action, and which can be produced at comparatively low cost.

A still further object is to provide an ornament support adapted to be permanently or Renewed March 20, 1929.

detachably mounted onto an article of wearing apparel provided with fastening means cooperating therewith, whereby an ornament such as a buckle may be detachably mounted and securely retained on said support;

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will more fully appear as the description proceeds and will be set forth and claimed in the appended claims.

In another patent application, entitled, Removable buckle holder for shoes, Ser. No. 143,210 filed simultaneously herewith, I have described and claimed an improved device for detachably mounting a buckle or like ornament onto the vamp of a pump or slipper; and a though obviously the type of support used for the ornament may take difierent forms according to the use for which the device is intended, in the annexed drawings, I have illustrated my present invention as applied in connection with a buckle support of the character described in the above mentioned application.

Referring to said drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pump ornamented with a buckle attached thereto by means of a holding device;

Fig. 2 is a rear View in perspective of a buckle of conventional design;

Fig. 3 is a View in perspective of the detachable buckle support forming the object of my other patent application above referred to; 4

Fig. 4 is a front view in elevation of said support; provided with the fastening device forming the object of the present invention showing said device in its retaining position;

F ig. 5 is a plan sectional view of the same through line 55 of Fig. at; f

Fig.6 is a plan view of the fastening device illustrating the manner of attaching the same onto the support;

Fig. 7 is a plan sectional view through line 5-5 of Fig. l showing the fastening device in its open position; and

Fig. 8 is a side sectional View in elevation of the buckle support and fastening device shown in Fig. 4, illustrating its application onto the vamp of a pump or slipper.

In the drawings 10 designates a conventional type of buckle provided at the rear with a relatively narrow flat bridge like bar 11 running practically for the entire height of the buckle and spaced from the rear surface of the buckle a distance 12 sufficient for the insertion of a strap or other similar holding means.

The support illustrated comprises an upwardly directed front member 13 which is the supporting member proper upon which the buckle is mounted. Said front or supporting member is therefore preferably provided with a longitudinal groove 14: within which the bar 11 of the buckle can be inserted and retained.

The device also comprises a rear member or arm 18 formed in one piece with the front member 13 being attached downwardly there from at 19, the result being a spring acting clip having two arms adapted to be pressed together by hand, said two arms moving away from each other to their normal position when the pressure is released due to the spring action obtained by virtue of the round bend 19.

An eflicient spring action will, of course, be obtained by employing a suitable material such as spring steel in the manufacture of the device, so that this spring action may be utilized for securely clamping the device onto the vamp of a shoe.

For this purpose, the two lower ends of members 13, 18 are caused to cross each other X-fashion so that the tendency of said incinbers or arms 13, 18 to open will be translated into a tendency in those portions thereof which project beyond the crossing point to move towards one another; so that the said extending portions will obviously exert a clamping action on anything which is inserted therebetween.

Under normal conditions, the buckle must be held in an upward position slightly inclined to the rear, while the vamp of the pump is also inclined upwardly from front to rear, but at a relatively small angle, the inclination thereof being closer to a horizontal than to a vertical plane. In order to obtain a proper positioning of the buckle, the extreme ends of the two crossing extensions of arms 13, 18 are arranged. at an angle to the supporting member or arm 13, the direction of said extensions corresponding substantially to the direction of the edge portion of the vamp when said arm 13 is placed in the correct position resulting in a proper inclination of the buckle supported tl'ierehy.

The various conditions outlined are attained by bifurcating the lower end of one of the two arms of the clip, in this case the front arm or member 13, so as to produce two side projections or lugs 20, and by uarrowing down the lower end of the other member, in this case arm 18, so that it may pass between said lugs 20, 21, forming the desired X structure, and then by so bending and shaping said extensions that their clamping portions proper will remain in the desired relative position and will be directed at the proper angle corresponding to the inclination of the edge of the vamp.

iceordingly, the two side lugs 20, 911 are first bent rearwardly and slightly upwardly as shown at 22, a sufficient distance to permit the buckle carried by the device to reach a position somewhat ahead of the inner edge of the vamp, that is, the position at which a buckle is usually placed; said lugs are then once more bent forwardly as at 23 and are arranged to remain somewhat inclined towards the front in order to follow H1016 or less the normal inclination of the vamp at that point as shown at 24;.

The lower end 25 of arm 18 is inserted between the two rearwardly extending fractions of lugs 20, 21, and is then bent forwardly as shown at 26, at an angle substantially corresponding to that of forwardly extending portions 24 of lugs 20, 2-1; so that normally part 26 is parallel to part 24: of lugs 20, 2-1, being about on a level therewith or being slightly detached therefrom, relatively to a plane transversely directed to the surfaces of said parts 24, 26.

lVhen the two arms of the clip are pressed together, surfaces 24-, 26 are forced apart so that the edge of the vamp may be inserted therebetwcen; and upon pressure on arms 13, 18, being released, the clamping portions or extensions 24,-, 26 will close upon said vamp edge gripping it with a firm hold, sufficient to retain the device and the buckle mounted thereon in position. In order to improve the clamping action, the clamping surfaces are preferablyprovided with burrs such as shown at 27 or with inwardly bent sharp edges such as shown at 28 or both. i

The construction described, results in a spring having relatively long arms, where the clamping members are located at considerable distance from the point of attachment of said arms, so that but a very small angular displacement of said arms is sufficient to produce a noticeable relative move ment of the said two clamping members.

rrccoriilingly, the two clamping members will. remain sutficiently parallel to one another irrespective of the thickness of the vamp upon which the same are inserted, providing a positive and effective clamping action at all times. The positive action of the device in this respect is further insured.

by the fact that the spring action originates at a point far away from the end at which the clamping action is exerted; this creating a condition where no undue deformation of the spring will occur at any time under practical conditions.

The central member 26 of the clamping device is slightly curved to follow the curvature of the upper part of the vamp, and the two extensions 24 of the side lugs 20,21 are inclined from front to rear in continuation of the said curvature. The metal out of which the device is made is of relatively light gauge and therefore extensions 24 will fit perfectly between the vamp and the foot of the wearer, adapting themselves to the shape of the foot without causing the slightest discomfort.

The pressure needed to operate the device for releasing the clamping action or for inserting the device in position. can be conveniently exerted by holding the buckle and the hold-er between the first and second finger at the front and the thumb at the rear, applying pressure with the thumb against the rear arm 18. In view of the fact that these parts extend upwardly from the vamp without any hindrance at either the front or the rear, the device may be controlled at all times from a perfectly accessible point, so that its speedy insertion and removal are thus assured.

Instead of being made detachable the device may be permanently attached to the vamp if desired; similarly it will also be understood that the supporting device may be made in different forms according to the purpose for which it is intended, since it is obvious that, for instance, a supporting clevice intended for use in connection with a belt will obviously have to be designed to suit the width and nature of the belt on which the same is to be mounted or attached.

As stated before, the supporting member is provided with a longitudinal groove 14 Within which bar 11 of the buckle can be inserted and retained. To this end the device must be provided with suitable means for locking the bar in position, and it is desirable that such means be relatively inexpensive and simple to make and to operate and it is also essential that the retaining action obtained thereby be positive and absolutely reliable;

In other similar devices heretofore known, for instance, in the device illustrated in the drawings pertaining to my other application above referred to, the device is provided with a spring finger riveted or otherwise secured at one of its ends to one of the sides of the supporting member, extending transversely of and beyond groove 14 close to the front surface of said supporting member; the free end of said finger is preferably slightly turned outwardly, so that the bar of the buckle may be inserted sidewise between the said finger and the surface of the supporting member up to the point where the bar will be forced into the groove 1 by the pressure of said spring finger.

However, in practice I have found that such an arrangement is not always eflicient.

For instance, when the cross bar on the buckle happens to be rather thick, it becomes rather difficult to insert it between the finger and the body of the device and due to the short length of the finger which is available in some cases, it is also possible that the finger may become permanently deformed and its spring action impaired.

I have also found that it is sometimes unhandy to insert the buckle in position because the point of insertion of the cross bar between the finger and the surface of the supporting member is concealed from view.

Furthermore, with the type of fastening means mentioned, extreme care must be exerted in removing the buckle from the support sidewise, because otherwise the spring finger is likely to break or to become distorted.

In View of these difliculties I have therefore sought to devise an equally simple but more effective arrangement for locking the buckle in position onto the supporting member, and in this arran ement my invention principally resides.

For the purpose specified, I provide a clip 29, which may be made detachable from the holder or supporting member, or which may be made a movable part thereof. When said clip is made detachable it is substantially of the form shown in Fig. 6, where it is seen that the same consists of a U shaped clip, made preferably of spring steel, bent at 30 to form a front short leg 31, and a rear longer leg 32, the distance 33 between said two legs being substantially equivalent to or preferably a trifle less than the distance between the rear surface of the supporting member in correspondence of groove 14 and the front surface of said member. Leg 31 has a length sufficient to overlap groove 14 when the clip is inserted sidewise over and across the supporting mem ber embracing the same, so that leg 31 abuts against the front surface and the supporting member and leg 32 abut against the rear surface thereof.

In this form the clip can be inserted in position sidewise after cross bar 11 has been introduced into groove 14, the clip being forced inwardly up to the point when its bend 30 reaches the edge of the supporting member. The clip will remain in position due to its natural spring action causing the same to frictionally hold onto the supporting member, and in order to remove the buckle it will be sufiicient to force the clip outwardly by press ing against the free end of ic 32.

A clip made and used in this manner is detachable from the holder but its action is otherwise quite as efficient as if the clip was in some way connected to the holder to prevent its coming off. An arrangement of this nature is preferable in order to make sure that the clip may not be lost and also in order to intensify to a certain extent its holding action.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 7. I illustrate the preferred form of clip which is essentially the same as described in connection with Fig. 6 except that the rear leg 32 is made sufficiently long to perunit of its being bent inwardly at 34 to form a transversely directed finger 35 bent over and abutting against the front surface of the supporting member in direct alignment with leg 31 but separated therefrom by a clearance space 36.

Clearance space 36 is wide enough to per mit cross bar 11 to be inserted therethrough; turthern'lore, the distance of bend 34 from bend Ell is equal to the width of the supporting member plus a certain quantity which corresponds to the desired transversal displacement of the clip one way or the other.

It has been explained that the front leg 31 is long enough to reach over and preferably slightly beyond groove 1% when the bond is close to the edge of the supporting member as shown in Fig. 5; in this position clearance space 36 is shown to the right of groove 1% and tip 37 0t finger 35, which is slightly bent outwardly just about reaches the opposite edge 38 of the supporting member. The clearance between said edge E58 and bend 3% of the clip is such that it the clip is forced to its extreme position to the let illustrated in Fig. 7, clearance space 36 registers directly with groove 1%, permitting the insertion of cross bar 11. therethrough. The clip can be to cod to the left by applying pressure agz its right end, that is, against bend 3i and smnlarly it may be forced to the right by apply ing pressure against bend 30.

By virtue of this construction, the clip becomes permanently associated with the supporting member so that it is impossible to remove the clip theretrom; at the same time the hold of the clip is improved because the same is reta ned in position not only by leg 31, but also by linger 35. The tip 39 of leg 31 is also preferably slightly turned outwardly shown in order to "facilitate passage ot the clip over bar 11 especially when the thickness of said bar happens to be somewhat in excess 01": the depth of groove 14:.

In order to apply the clip onto the supporting member, the clip first bent to form a tl-shaped structure with legs o1 unequal length, as shown in Fig. 6; then the clip is inserted in position over the supporting member and the tree end oi leg 32 is bent inwardly to town linger 35, as shown in dotted lines at in Fig. The resulting structure is the one illustrated in lli and i 5 shmving how the cros. bar ll is held in position by the locking action of log 31.

31 which is the retaining member of the clip is also of a length suilicient to insure a good spring action, and therefore its hold is absolutely positive and reliable. It is thus seen that by means of an extremely simple and practical arrangement, I obtain the desired locking action without materially at- :tecting the cost of production of the device. Furthern'lore, by virtue of the arrangement described, it is much easier to insert in or to remove the buckle or other ornament from the holder because in order to set the buckle or other ornament in position, it is only necessary to force the clip to the position shown in Fig. 7, and to insert cross bar 11 bodily with in groove 14, then to force the clip to the right retaining cross bar 11 within the groove by the action of leg 81 overlapping said groove.

In a similar manner in order to remove the buckle or other ornament it is sufficient to once more force the clip to the position of Fig. 7 when the buckle or ornament may be freely detached from the holder. It is thus seen that the invention essentially consists in a clip which maybe inserted or shifted over the supporting member after the ornament has been set in position, causing a retaining member which is an integral part of said clip to retain the cross bar of the ornament within the groove of the supporting member.

The invention also comprises the combina tion of a supporting member which may be nianently attached to or detachable from 2' a tie on which the ornament is to be mounted, adapted to receive the cross bar or like means tor attaching the ornament, and provided with a c ip or retaining member which may be moved in one or the other di- I'Utxldll to operative or inoperative position; said clip being preferably movably mounted said sup iorting member in a manner per ing the free operating movement of said clip or retaining member but preventing its becoming separated from the supporti member.

It obvious that the inventive idea may be carried into p actice in ways iilili'erent from those shown by altering the construction of my device in its minor details. Therefore the drawings will be understood as boin g intended for purposes of illustration only and not in a limiting sense. Accordingly, I reserve mysell the right to carry my invention into practice in any way or manner which may enter tairly into the scope or the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the cou'ibination with an ornament having a rearwardly projecting holding member, of a supporting member therefor having one of its surfaces adapted to abut against one of the surfaces of said holding member and a retainingmember movable transversely 05 and adapted to clamp said two iii: mentioned members to one another, said retaining memher being non-detaehably connected to one of the other two members.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with an ornament having a rearwardly projecting holding member, of a sup porting member provided with a depression adapted to receive said holding member and a retaining member movable transversely of and adapted to clamp said two first mentioned members to one another, said retaining member being non-detachably connected to said supporting member.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with an ornament having a rear holding bar spaced therefrom, of a support ing member provide 'th a groove adapted to receive said bar, and a retaining member adapted to lock said bar in position, said retaining member being movably, but nonletachably mounted on said supporting memher so as to be siidable across and away from said groove.

l. In a device of the class described, the combination with an ornament having a rear holding bar spaced therefrom, and a supporting member having one of its surfaces adapted to abut against one of the surfaces of said bar, of a retaining member slidable transversely of said bar having a backing member and a locking member integral therewith, said retaining member being adapted to hold said supporting member and bar clamped to one another.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with an ornament having a rear holding bar spaced therefrom, and a supporting member therefor, having one of its surfaces adapted to abut against one of the surfaces of said bar, of a spring clip insert-able over said supporting member and bar, said clip being made of a single piece of metal bent to form a locking member and a backinember adapted to clamp said bar and said supporting member to one another.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with an ornament having a rear holding bar spaced therefrom, and a supporting member therefor, having one of its surfaces adapted to abut against one of the surfaces of said bar, of a spring clip insert able over said supporting member and bar, said clip being made of a single piece of metal bent to form a locking member and a backing member adapted to clamp said bar and said supporting member to one another, said backing member projecting laterally of said supporting member when said clip is in its locking position.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with an ornament having a rear holding bar spaced therefrom, and a supporting member the efor, having one of its surfaces adapted to abut against one of the surfaces of said bar, of a spring clip insertable over said supporting member and bar, said clip being made of a single piece of metal bent to form a locking member and a backing member adapted to clamp said bar and said supporting member to one another, said backing member projecting laterally of said supporting member When said clip is in its locking position and having its free end bent over said supporting member and spaced from the end of said locking member to allow of said bar being inserted in position or removed therefrom.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with an ornament having a rear holding bar spaced therefrom, of a supporting member therefor provided with a groove adapted to receive said bar and a spring clip made of a single piece of metal bent to form a locking member and a backing member, said backing member projecting laterally of said supporting member when said clip is in its locking position and having its free end bent over said supporting member, said locking member being sufficiently long to project across said groove when said clip is shifted in one direction, and the clearance space between the free end of said backing member and the free end of said locking member registering with said groove, when said clip is shifted to its other extreme position, to allow of said bar being inserted in or removed from said groove.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with an ornament having a rear holding bar spaced therefrom, and a supporting member having one of its surfaces adapted to abut against one of the surfaces of said bar, of a retaining member movable transversely of said bar having a backing member and a locking member, said retaining member being adapted to hold said sup porting member and bar clamped to one another, when moved to one of its extreme positions transversely to said bar, said backing member projecting laterally of said supporting member when said retaining member is in its operative position.

10. A device of the class described, comprising an upwardly extending supporting member bent downwardly at its upper end to form a rear spring acting arm, said supporting member having its lower end bent rearwardly and then forwardly, and said rear arm having its lower end bent forwardly and crossing said supporting member, said forwardly extending lower ends forming clamping members adapted to be forced apart and inserted over the vamp of a slipper when said rear arm is pressed against said supporting member, said supporting member having a groove adapted to receive the cross bar of an ornament to be mounted thereon, and a retaining member movably mounted on said supporting member adapted to lock said bar and ornament in position.

LOUIS W. GORDON. 

